I love cookbooks! I love browsing through the pages, collecting recipes, and drooling at the pictures. A good cookbook should always have pictures. Otherwise, how do you know if you’re following the recipe correctly? Pictures are a must.
I don’t know how many cookbooks I actually own. There is a giant box filled with my secret pleasures sitting on the floor of my dining room. Like any dedicated reader, I can’t bear to throw any books away. I didn’t even discard any cookbooks when I moved across country to California. I stored the majority of them at my sister’s house, in her basement. I did bring along my own cookbook which was filled with those recipes I use all the time. That cookbook is my kitchen bible. (A sequel of this book is available at Amazon.com for your dining pleasure.) April's Cookbook
Recently, I encountered another cookbook that I absolutely love. Originally, I discovered it on the shelf at Target. I couldn’t afford it at first; I was barely
working enough hours to buy food, let alone buy a cookbook. So every time I shopped, I browsed through the book‘s pages. I even took a picture of one of the recipes to try it out at home sometime. I know it would have been easier to look up the recipes on the internet, but like I said, I love the cookbooks themselves. I enjoy flipping through the actual paper pages and being able to write on the recipe any changes I made or whether or not its worth making again.
You can imagine how overjoyed I was when my son gave me this cookbook for a Christmas present this year. I couldn’t wait to dive in and try out more dishes. The best part was that I already had many of the ingredients in my pantry or refrigerator! I only had to go to the store for a few essential items. I couldn’t wait to get into the kitchen and cook!
By now, you’re probably wondering what the name of the cookbook is. I’ll be glad to tell you so you can enjoy these scrumptious and easy recipes too. The book is called Cravings, and it was created by one of America’s top models, Chrissy Teigen. At first, I wasn’t very familiar with her, but I grew to love this woman while watching her as the co- host of the show, Lip Sync Battles with L.L. Cool J. Chrissy is also the wife of John Legend and recently gave birth to an adorable little boy. Let me just say, this woman can cook too.
The recipe I tried first was Chrissy’s Spicy Italian Sausage Meatloaf. I had been craving meatloaf for some time, so now was my chance to dive in. I was a bit reluctant, however, because meatloaf has never been one of my best dishes. My mom could make meatloaf and everyone raved about it. I made meatloaf and everyone ran away screaming. That’s why when I mentioned to my family that I wanted to try this entrée, there was a general moaning and groaning and negative consensus. But I was persistent and was finally granted permission to attempt my hand at meatloaf again, provided I followed the particular recipe. To some degree, I did; but there were some substitutions made due to dietary restrictions. Our family does not eat pork, nor does my son believe in combining two different kinds of meat in one serving. It freaks him out. So to make this recipe edible for him, I used ground turkey for the ground beef, and Italian turkey sausage for the sausage. I also do not have a food processor, so instead of grinding up any day old bread, I used the Italian Panko bread crumbs I already had in the cupboard. The last substitution I made was because of sheer absentmindedness. I forgot to buy ketchup. I went down the aisle at the grocery store specifically to buy it, but I ran into a friend and we started talking. By the time we finished, I needed to get home to start dinner and I left the ketchup back on its shelf. I realized what I did when I arrived home; so I topped my meatloaf with the BBQ sauce I had already, and I skipped the ketchup/brown sugar mixture. The original recipe belongs to Ms. Teigen, but I have to admit that my substitutions were successful too.
With baited breath, I waited for my family’s reaction. It was a total success! The blend of two kinds of meat, along with the red hot pepper flakes and other seasonings surprised our taste buds beyond compare. Meatloaf could now be put on the menu again!
The recipe I enclose is my adaptation of Ms Teigen’s. If you would like to try the original recipe, please purchase her book, Cravings. Its well worth it! (You have to try her sweet and salty Coconut Rice too! Its amazing!!)
Spicy Italian Turkey Sausage Meat loaf
Ingredients:
1 cup of Italian Panko Bread Crumbs
1/3 cup whole milk
1 lb of ground Italian turkey sausage
1 lb of ground turkey
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely grated carrots
1 large egg
1 TBL Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp ground pepper
¼ cup of Barbecue sauce
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a small bowl, pour the milk into the bread crumbs. Stir thoroughly and let sit. In a much larger bowl, combine the two meats until completely incorporated. Add egg and mix again. Get your hands into this; it’s the only way to insure your ingredients are combined well. Add breadcrumbs, onions, carrots, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
Form your meat into a mound and place in a lightly greased 9 x 5 loaf pan. Top with the barbecue sauce. Cook for approximately 50 - 60 minutes, depending on your oven. Juices may form in bottom of pan, let meatloaf sit for 5 minutes to absorb them. This recipe makes a hearty dish to feed a family. Enjoy your meatloaf with your favorite side dishes and/or possibly in a sandwich the next day.
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